Simple Custom Fields and Screens Custom Fields and...Agenda • Welcome and Introductions • Understanding PowerSchool’s Data Structure • Using the Built-in Generator • Adding

PowerSchool University2012

Simple Custom Fields and Screens

Trainer Name

Trainer/Consultant

Agenda

• Welcome and Introductions

• Understanding PowerSchool’s Data Structure

• Using the Built-in Generator

• Adding HTML Code

• Exporting Custom Screens

• Brainstorming Other Possible Screens

• Looking at PowerSchool Customizations

• Time for Review

Understanding PowerSchool’s Data Structure

Three Ways to View Fields

1. View Field List: lists all student or staff fields in your PowerSchool database

2. Data Dictionary: lists the field name, data type, and description; available on PowerSource

3. Direct Database Export (DDE): contains every field name in each table

The View Field List

Standard and custom fields look alike.

On the Start Page, click View Field List

Describes each field in every table.

The Data Dictionary

Column Name Data Type Description

First_Name (ver3.6.1) String 15 Students’ first name

FTEID (ver4.0.0) IntegerThe internal number for the FTE with which this record is associated. Indexed.

Gender (ver3.6.1) String 2 M=Male F=Female. Indexed.

Direct Database Export

System > Direct Database Export (DDE)

Identifying Custom Fields

Navigate to System > DDE

Verify that the current table is Students (1)

Choose Custom, and set the Comparator to #

Click Table View, and then click a student’s name

Find the custom field(s) of the record

On the Start Page, click System

Choose the Students

table

System > Direct Database Export (DDE)

Select Custom Select #

Click Searchall XX recordsin this table

SelectTable View

Click a student’s name under LastFirst

View Custom

Custom field data

Custom field name

View Custom Fields

Here’s one more way to view the custom fields:

1. On the Start Page, click System

2. Click Custom Fields / Screens

3. Click Student Fields

Now It’s Your Turn

Complete hands-on activity 1:

Identifying Custom Fields

Using the Built-in Generator

Some items to consider when creating fields:

✓ One creator

✓ Field names that make sense

✓ No spaces

✓ Unique field names

✓ 999 maximum fields

Best Practices When Creating Fields

Best Practices When Creating Fields

999PSU_2011

HS_FOOTBALL

MS_MENTOR25_COMPUTER

Navigate to the Generator


Tables Used in Custom Fields / Screens

• Create custom fields for four different tables

- Students

- Staff

- Courses

- Sections

• Create custom screens for two tables

- Students

- Staff

The Scenario

One of the schools in your district has implemented a 1-1 laptop initiative and wants to track which students were issued laptops.

Creating a New Custom Screen

Determine the information and fields needed

Create the custom fields

Create the custom screen

Add the custom fields to the custom screen

View the new screen and make changes

Determine screen name, field names, and their input types

Screen NameLaptop Initiative

Field NamesLAPTOP_TAG_NOLAPTOP_MODEL

LAPTOP_MEMORYSIGNED_POLICYLI_COMMENTS

An existing field?

Create the custom student fields

System > Custom Fields / Screens > Student Fields

Use best practices to name your fields

STOP!

System > Custom Fields / Screens > Student Fields > New

Create the custom screen

System > Custom Fields / Screens > Custom Student Screens

Title your screen, and click Submit

System > Custom Fields / Screens > Custom Student Screens > New

Your custom screen appears in the list of screens


Click Edit Fields to add fields to your custom screen


Click New to add a field to the screen

System > Custom Fields / Screens > Custom Student Screens > Edit Fields

Enter the required information

System > Custom Fields / Screens > Custom Student Screens > Edit Fields > New

Find the field, and click the field name

Enter the remaining information

System > Custom Fields / Screens > Custom Student Screens > Edit Fields > New

Choose the Input Type

Input Type Description

Entry field A small field used to enter text

Static field A field used to contain specific, unchanging data

Check box A box used to select a value

Pop-up menu A menu used to select a value

Radio button A small, round, option button used to select a value

Entry box A large box used to enter multiple lines of text

Continue to add the fields to your screen


Add existing fields

Make sure all the fields are organized and in place

(Select a student) > Custom Screens > Laptop Initiative

View your new screen

System > Custom Fields / Screens > Custom Student Screens > Edit Fields > (Select a field)

Make changes to the custom screen



Creating a Custom Screen

Adding HTML Code

What Can HTML Do?

✓ Bold

✓ Italics

✓ Underline

✓ Font Size

✓ Font Color

✓ Return

✓ Center

Apple Grove District

Bold

Italic

Apple Grove District

Underline

Apple Grove District

Font Size

Apple Grove District

Font Color

Apple Grove District

Breaks and Position

• Make a hard return with 

• Center text on the screen with <center>

Combine the Codes

Apple Grove District 

545 West Dayton StreetApple Grove, CA 84062

The Results

Apple Grove District545 West Dayton StreetApple Grove, CA 84062

Add Some Pizzazz

Adding HTML

Locate your custom screen, and click Edit Field

Click a field name to add HTML

Add the HTML code

Repeat for each field

Select a student to view your changes



Adding HTML to a Custom Screen

Exporting Custom Screens

Sharing Screens

• Export to make changes

• Import the new screen

• Import other districts’ screens

Exporting and Importing a Custom Screen

Select your screen and export as a template

Open the file and view the code

Make any changes

Import the PowerSchool Template (.pst)

Verify the screen

Select your screen, and export as a template


Open the file and view the code

Make any changes

Change the <Table> to Teachers

You may want to rename the <name>

Import the PowerSchool Template (.pst)


Choose the file to import

System > Import Report Template

Verify successful import of the PowerSchool Template (.pst)

Staff > (Select a staff member)

View the imported screen

Verify the screen and make any changes

No need to add the fields

Don’t I Have to Add Fields?


Complete hands-on activities 4 and 5:

Exporting and Importing a Custom Screen

Importing an OutsideCustom Screen

Brainstorming Other Possible Screens

An Enrollment Screen

• State Student Number

• IEP

• 504

• Gifted

• ELL Info

• Graduation Information

A State Reporting Screen

A Staff Education or Certification Screen

• Hire date

• Certifications

• Degrees

• Activities supervised

• Awards

• Honors

A Second-mailing Screen

Using Your Second-mailing Screen

Search for the students you need to mail

Print mailing labels for the selected students

Using the # search, search within the selected students for those who need a second mailing

Print the second-mailing labels for the new selection of students


Creating a Second-mailing Screen


Looking at PowerSchool Customizations

Customize Much More...

Customization: Foundations

If you are new to PowerSchool and have not worked with HTML and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) before, this is the class for you. Discover how to modify and code HTML and CSS in PowerSchool pages. Learn how to modify existing data submission forms and learn how to build new custom forms.

Customization: Introduction

If you are familiar with HTML, CSS, and have modified PowerSchool custom pages before, broaden your customization knowledge with this class. Learn how to insert PowerSchool-specific programming codes in pages. Discover how to add common PowerSchool user interface examples using patterns that produce scalable pages that can survive product version changes.

JavaScript: Introduction

Explore basic coding patterns and the syntax of JavaScript through customizing PowerSchool pages. Make your pages more powerful by auto-calculating fields. Use basic jQuery selectors and event handlers to help perform field validation.

That’s Not All...

• Customization: Intermediate

• Customization: Advanced

• Customization: Going Through the Changes

or

• JavaScript: Foundations

• JavaScript: Intermediate

• Javascript: Advanced

Time for

Review

A B

C D

Question 1

What is the maximum number of fields in any PowerSchool table?

1000 999

878 599

A B

C D

Answer 1

What is the maximum number of fields in any PowerSchool table?

1000 999

878 599

Where do you click to begin your customization work?

Question 2

Answer 2

Where do you click to begin your customization work?

A B

C D

Question 3

Why should you use capital letters or a unique pattern when naming custom fields?

To differentiate custom fields from existing fields

It’s the only format PowerSchool will recognize

It’s easier to read It isn’t a good idea

A B

C D

Answer 3

Why should you use capital letters or a unique pattern when naming custom fields?

It’s the only format PowerSchool will recognize

It’s easier to read It isn’t a good idea

To differentiate custom fields from existing fields

Question 4

True or False: You can create custom screens for four tables using the built-in generator.

False!

Answer 4

You can create custom screens in only two tables using the built-in generator: Students

and Staff (Teachers)

Which step is first?

C

B

D

A Modify the screen code

Verify the screen imported

Import the modified file

Export the custom screen

The answer is...

D Export the custom screen

C Verify the screen imported

B Import the modified file

A Modify the screen code

Key Points from Today’s Class

• Data structure – Investigate the structure three ways (Field List, Data Dictionary, DDE)

• Custom fields – Keep names consistent

• Custom screens – Create new or use templates from other schools

• Other custom screen ideas – Create a second-mailing screen or enrollment screen

Question and Answer

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Documents

Simple Custom Fields and Screens Custom Fields and...Agenda • Welcome and Introductions • Understanding PowerSchool’s Data Structure • Using the Built-in Generator • Adding